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China is in transition from communism to a market economy. Traditional wooden buildings have been replaced by high-rise apartments. In cities, green Mao uniforms and tree-line boulevards have been replaced by the newest Western fashions, cell phones and cars. As a result, the firm grasp of the Chinese government over its citizens has been loosened, and the government no longer cares for all of the needs of its citizens. For instance, middle-aged women often fall through the cracks. These women attended school during China’s Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and 1970s and their education, consisting mainly of chanting political slogans and planting rice in the countryside, has not prepared them to compete for a job in China’s new economy. Amity Foundation, a Chinese agency with Christian roots, is one of the first private social service agencies to address these problems. It offers a wide-range of programs, including training medical workers in Tibet, surveying needs of the blind and organizing elderly women to visit orphanages. This year marks the agency’s 15th anniversary. The inter-Mennonite program China Educational Exchange has been involved with Amity since its beginning. Mennonite Central Committee is a member agency of CEE. Currently, MCC is working with Amity Foundation’s rural development department and the Chinese and Canadian governments on poverty alleviation in four regions of China. – Mennonite Central Committee
Evangelical Mennonite Church delegates will decide in August whether to drop “Mennonite” from their denomination’s name. EMC leaders recently recommended two options for changing the 51-year-old name: Association of Evangelical Community Churches and Conference of Evangelical Churches. The recommendation to change the name requires 75% approval from the delegation at EMC’s annual convention Aug. 3-6 in Upland, Ind. If that vote carries, delegates from the conference’s 32 churches in five states – Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio and Michigan – will vote for one of the recommended names, with a simple majority deciding the issue. The last denomination to drop “Mennonite” from its name was the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church, which became the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches in 1987. – Mennonite Weekly Review
A drought in Pakistan has affected an estimated 3.2 million people, 2.1 million of whom live in the southwestern Baluchistan province. MBMS International (the Mennonite Brethren mission agency) has been involved in ministry projects among the Baluch people in the Turbat area for several years. A radio broadcast in the Baluch language has had a good response. In 1998, hundreds were killed and thousands lost their homes during a flash flood; MBMSI sent resources to NRSP (a Pakistan-based development organization) that helped rebuild many homes. When a massive drought hit the same area in 1999, MBMSI sent resources to help dig wells in several villages. With the drought this year, people are dying, and entire herds of goats, sheep, cows and camels have been lost, forcing many in rural areas to migrate to the cities. The Pakistan government is implementing emergency aid, including issuing a public call for prayer and sending trains to the area to supply water. – MBMS International
In US homes where guns are kept, people have a three times higher risk of homicide and a five times higher risk of suicide than those in homes without guns, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 32,436 people were killed by guns in the US in 1997. Of these, 17,566 were suicides, 13,522 were homicides, 981 were “accidental” shootings, and 367 were shooting deaths of undetermined intent. Gun homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for young people aged 10-14 and the second leading cause of death for youth aged 15-24. In 1997, over 4,200 youth up to the age of 19 were killed by guns in the US – about 12 children every day. Of these deaths, 2,580 were homicides, 1,262 were suicides, and 306 were “accidental” shootings; 630 were under the age of 15, 191 were under 10 and 85 were under 5. – MCC
There were 250 abortions in Poland in 1999, down significantly from 160,000 in 1993. For 44 years, Poland was dominated by Russia, and abortion was legal and paid for by the government. In 1993, the Polish Parliament severely restricted abortion. Pro-abortion advocates say restricting abortion will lead to illegal abortions and medical problems. However, today there are fewer gynecologic admissions to Polish hospitals and fewer women dying of gynecologic problems, says Dr. Jack Willke of the Life Issues Institute. – Citizenlink
Christian weddings in Japan are becoming very popular, although only 1% of Japanese are Christian. Many Japanese don’t want traditional Japanese weddings because they are not considered to be very romantic, are done according to Shinto rites, use archaic language and allow only the family to attend. Many Japanese prefer Western weddings because they are considered to be more romantic, use modern Japanese language and allow for more guests. Over the past several years, a number of Japanese celebrities’ church weddings have been broadcast on TV. This has caused a demand for Christian ministers to perform church weddings. Having a foreign minister officiate at a wedding also seems to add to the romance. – General Conference Mennonite Church
Despite persecution of evangelical Christians by traditional Roman Catholics in Chiapas, Mexico, 90 of 118 villages in San Juan Chamula county now have at least a small group of evangelical Christians. More than 100 children, however, have been rejected by the school system for about four years because their parents are evangelical. Government efforts to get them admitted into schools have failed. Church buildings that aren’t Roman Catholic are frequently destroyed. In March, a mother of three from the town of Kaktishtic was shot by her husband after she became an evangelical. Meanwhile, in the village of Plan de Ayala, traditionalists have confined 50 evangelical Christian families to the village. Only a few of the hostages have been allowed to leave town to buy food. On March 5, 75 evangelical families were expelled from the village and 47 homes were destroyed. In late March, 250 public security police officers escorted the evangelicals back to the village. However, 70 of the police officers and 20 of the families fled the community again in early April. Some of the village’s remaining evangelicals tried to leave April 6, but traditionalists kept them in and have refused requests to let evangelical observers into the village. While they are free to eat and their children are allowed to attend school, the evangelicals are not able to work. It is feared that violence could erupt, as both groups are armed. – Compass Direct
Eighteen homes in communities around Burgaw, N.C. which were affected by flooding caused by Hurricane Floyd last September have been rebuilt by Mennonite Disaster Service. Now, MDS has decided to commit to another year of rebuilding and restoring in Burgaw after re-evaluating the situation. The project was originally scheduled to close May 29. Many people in the community whose own homes sustained only minor damage didn’t bother seeking help and concentrated instead on helping others whose losses were considerably greater. Over time, however, mould has grown in damp areas of homes, joists have rotted, and walls have shifted from their foundations. – Mennonite Disaster Service
The US Department of Treasury gave approval at the end of April for Mennonite Central Committee to ship a 40-foot container of medical equipment to Iraq. MCC had applied for the approval in October. The shipment, consisting of hospital beds, cabinets, nursing uniforms, over-bed tables and three ventilators, was expected to arrive in Iraq at the end of June. The ventilators are designed to safely ventilate critically ill neo-natal and pediatric babies. MCC and the Islamic Relief Agency have built a much-needed pediatric hospital in Karbala, southwest of Baghdad, but the hospital can’t treat patients until the beds arrive. This is the first time MCC has sent medical equipment to Iraq and the first time MCC has experienced such a long waiting period for approval of a shipment to Iraq. Over the years, MCC has sent millions of dollars worth of medicines, food, seeds and school kits to Iraq. – MCC
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Last modified July 20, 2007.
© 2007 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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